Method of treating shoe uppers



Aug. 13, 1940.

L. DODGE METHOD OF TREATING SHOE UPPERS Original Filed Sept. 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l M. L. DODGE METHOD OF TREATING SHOE UPPERS Aug. 13, 1940.

Original Filed Sept. 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATE;

s PATENT orrlcr.

METHOD OF TREATING SHOE UPPERS Milton L. Dodge, Newburyport, Mass.

' Original application September 25, 1933, Serial 690,853. Divided and this application Octoberl'l, 1939, Serial No. 299,822

' '12 Claims. (01. 12 142) tage in connection with unlined shoes.

It has for an object the shaping of the upper ing inwardly the sides of the shoe upper at the top opening, hiding or rendering less conspicuous the top edge of the lining when a lining is used,

and otherwise improving the shape and appearance of the shoe upper. I

The present invention relates to the method as carried out by the mechanism shown in my application Serial No. 690,983, filed September 25, 1933, of which this application is adivision,

and covers certain matter transferred to this application from my application Serial No. 20,024, filed May 6, 1935. Y.

It is customary tofinish shoes by a treeing operation during which the exterior surface of the upper is ironed by means of heated smoothing tools of suitable shapes, the heat of the treeing tools shrinking and smoothing the leather of the outside. As the outer and its lining are originally shaped together on the last Without allowance for subsequent shrinking of either of these parts, the result of this shrinking of the outer is to leave the lining relatively larger so that there is a tendency for the rim portions of the upper about the opening of the shoe to curl outwardly and show the upper edge of the lining prominently. Because of weight of lining material and small space between the top stitching and the top edgeof the shoe, at least in the better grades of womens shoes, the trimming of the lining in under the top of the outer in "an effort to hide the lining edge is difficult.

Even where the lining margin is out under the outer margin, it still shows sufficiently in almost all cases to detract from the appearance of the shoe. Removal of the shoe from the treeing form, moreover, tends to spread the sides of the opening apart, particularly at their forward ends, and to leave these side edges crooked. These effects are undesirable as they detract from the appearance of the shoe and also prevent a close hugging fit of the rim of the opening to the foot.

According to the present invention these defects are overcome by providing a form member over which the portion of a shoe adjacent'to'the opening may be placed and presser members arranged to press the rim portions of the shoe against this form in such a manner as to turn the lateral rim portions of the shoe inwardly.

The effectiveness of this operation for its intend ed purpose may be increased by heating the form which acts to shrink a substantial portion of the adjacentlining so as to reduce the area'ofthe lining relative to the outer. The effectiveness of treatment may also be increased by producing a relative motion between the surfaces of the form and presser member so as to wipe the outer toward its top margin, or hold the top margin of the outer while pressingthe top margin of the lining down, thus relatively extending the outer and pressing the top edge of the outer over the edge of the lining toward or against the form so that it completely hides the upper edge -of the lining, which, also, by the pressure exerted between the form and member, is substantially thinned at its upper edge. The form member over which the shoe is placed is preferably made of such a shape as to permit the removal of the shoe after the pressing operation with minimum distortion at the opening. As a result, the rim portions of the upper adjacent to the opening of the shoe are set with a slight inward curve resisting outward turning so that the shoe presents a neat and trim appearance of particular value for displaying in a store and the rim of the opening hugs closely against the foot of the wearer when in use.

Besides the tracing operation, any of the oper--' ations, such as removing the last, cleaning the lining, or inserting a sock lining, tend to distortthe upper and to make subsequent treating of the shoe in accordance with this invention highly desirable. This treating may be effected either before or after the outer or upper and lining have been incorporated in the shoe as heretofore suggested, and it is also applicable when shoes are being repaired;

For. a more complete understanding of the Figure 7 is a detail section on line 1-1 of Figure 1.

Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figure 7, but showing successive stages in the forming operation.

Referring to the drawings, at l is indicated a table top preferably a down-turned flange 2 at its forward end. This table top may have a slot cut in from its forward face and within which may be placed a bracket H) which extends both above and below the table top I. The bracket may be secured to the forward face of the table as by screws H passing through perforated ears l2 of a forward flange l3 of the bracket l0 intermediate its ends and into the member I. The upwardly extending portion of this bracket is formed in the shape of a goose neck I4 which supports at its free end a form member IS. The goose neck and the form member may be secured together by any suitable means, such as the screws l6 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

, One shape of form member which may be used is shown detached in Figure 3 and may comprise a lower portion 20 having substantially straight sides for the major portion of its length and merging with a rounded end 2| and a narrower opposite end 22. The upper portion of the form comprises a neck 23 of reduced thickness terminating with a flanged head 24 for engagement with the free end of the goose neck i i to which it is secured. The lower portion 29 of this form has inwardly curved side faces 25 merging with the neck 23 and with a substantially flat top face. At 26 is shown a perforation extending into the 5 lower portion 20 and within which may be placed an electric heating unit 27 of any suitable description, such as is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Cooperating with the form it is a pair of presser members 30, which, as shown, are carried at the upper ends of a pair of arms 3!, each pivoted as at 32 to portions of the bracket it]. These arms 3| extend below their pivotal points 32 and their lower ends are joined by a pair of links 35, each pivoted at its outer end as at 36 to one of the arms 3i and the two pivoted together at their inner ends as at 3?. The pivot 3? is carried at the upper end of a rod 38 which is guided for vertical sliding movement through a guide boss 40 shown as integral with the bracket I!) just beneath the table flange 2. At the extreme inner end of the arm l0 it has pivoted thereto, as at 45, suitable actuating mechanism such as a hand lever 46 which is connected by a link 81 pivoted thereto to the lower end of the rod 38. The lever 46, as shown, is provided with a handle 48 at its outer end by which it may be rocked. Downward motion of the handle 43 from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 acts to straighten or make the toggle links 35, which in turn swings in the presser members to press the upper of a shoe placed about the form l5 against the sides of this form.

The presser members 36 are each provided with a face 5!] generally complementary to a face 25 of the form I5, and, as shown on Figures 7, 8 and 9, each presser member is preferably covered by yielding surface material such as a layer of rubber shown at 5|, which may be faced with a light leather facing 52, the edges of which may be secured together on the back face of the presser member as by a lacing 53 (shown best in Figure 4).

The outer 68 and the lining SI of a shoe, top stitched together as at 62, as shown in Figure '7, is placed about the form l5 and between this form and the presser members 30. This outer and lining, top-stitched together and as received from the usual treeing operation during which the outer is somewhat shrunken, commonly are somewhat spaced apart below the top stitching as shown at 63 by reason of the shrinking to which the outer has been subjected, or because of poor lasting of the lining which leaves it full. Commonly the outer, lining and counter are adhesively secured together somewhat below the top stitching so that the outer and lining are effectively held together from about the point M downwardly (see Figure 7). By downward pressure exerted on the handle 48 the pressing members 3B are then brought progressively toward the form H5 in a manner to clamp the outer and lining therebetween. As shown in Figure 8, the parts are so proportioned that the portion of the form 39 first to engage the upper engages it about in line with the point 64 so that the outer and lining are held against the form from this point and are progressively compressed between this point and the top margins of the upper. This action prevents the crowding down of the lining relative to the outer, producing a pucker therebetween and pressing this so that it becomes a wrinkle in the lining. As the pressure is increased between the presser members and the form, the facing 5| of each presser member is brought back into contact with the member and the lining and outer are pressed firmly together between the presser member and form. The angularity of the confronting faces of these parts is such that the form is sprung downwardly between the presser members, the goose neck yieldiing sufficiently for this action to take place, and this together with the direction of motion in which the presser members are forced thereagainst, causes opposite components of motion heightwise of the shoe along the faces of the outer and lining. This pressure causes the top edge of the lining to be thinned so that it is not as noticeable as before the operation, and when the outer and lining are so secured together that sufficient relative motion is possible, the surface components of motion act to form the top edge of the lining in under the top edge of the outer and to extend the top edge of the outer inwardly thereof toward or in contact with the form 15. Engagement of the lining on the form l5 prevents the lining from creeping upwardly with the outer and the heat to which the lining is subjected tends to shrink the lining, thus further to prevent the top edge of the lining from being moved with the outer, the form acting to hold back the lining while the outer is extended thereover, as

shown best in Figure 9. It will be noted, also, that the top edge of the lining is thinned by the pressure and that the line of top stitching at 10 is caused to become inclined inwardly and downwardly rather than being perpendicular to the outer faces of the upper as shown in Figures 7 and 8 as when the stitching was done.

The bottom of the form is downwardly presented so that the top edge of the shoe upper throughout its entire length may be properly positioned thereon with the edge up and in full view of the operator who is able to see that the proper action of the machine is produced at each actuation thereof.

. By reason of the relatively straight lengthwise outlines of the lower portion 29 of the form l5, the side edges of the foot opening of the shoe are straightened and turned in as well as the outer extended over the upper edge of the lining, or

the lining pushed down so that the outer conceals the lining at the top. As the form is narrower at its heel end, the heel end of the opening is also narrowed as is also desirable and the shape of the entire heel end portion of the shoe including the counter when one is used, as is usual, is improved. a

In order to accurately determine the position of the upper when placed over the form, a gage may be provided as shown at in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6.

In Figures 5 and 6 somewhat modified forms and presser members are shown, particularly intended for use on shoes of the Oxford and blucher types, such shoes having upwardly extending forward portions of the quarters or vamp back of the throat of the shoe. The form I08 of Figure 5 is provided at its forward portion with side walls gradually approaching each other toward the head 25 rather than being sharply curved inwardly as in the form shown in Figure 3, so that these upwardly extended quarter portions or wings of the Oxford, blucher, or tie shoe may be be laid up fiat against these side portions and thus ironed and pressed over substantially their entire areas during the action of the apparatus. The presser lili is formed substantially complementally to the side walls of the form I00 as shown in Figure 6, in which figure the yielding facing for the form has been omitted for the sake of clarity. When the shoes are provided with eyelet stays, the forward margins of the. stayed portions, and alongthe lacing slit opening of an Oxford shoe, are pressed and inwardly turned.

The forms shown in Figures 3 and 4 may be used with shoes of the Oxford or blucher types, but for best results require more care in positioning the quarter portions on the form than is necessary with forms such as shown in Figure 5. In connection with pumps the form and presser element such as shown in Figures 3 and 4 are preferred.

From the foregoing description of certain mechanisms for practicing this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of treating a shoe having an upward side wall extension back of the throat, which comprises simultaneously pressing the side wall of the shoe including said extension'substantially from the heel portion to the throat.

2. The method of treating a shoe having an upward extension on each side back of the throat an upward side extension back of the throat,

which comprises simultaneously pressing the upper margin of said extension throughout substantially its entire length.

4. The method which comprises subjecting the upwardly extending forward portion of the quarter or vamp of a shoe of the Oxford or blucher type and the top rim of the shoe opening back of said portion to shaping pressure.

5. The method of treating a shoe of the Oxford 0r blucher type, which comprises subjecting the wing portions of the shoe to simultaneous ironing pressure.

6. The mthod of treating a shoe having an upper wing portion which comprises subjecting said wing portion to simultaneous pressure about its margin.

7. The method of treating-a shoe of the Oxford or blucher type, which comprises subjecting the wing portions of the shoe to simultaneous ironing pressure upwardly on the outer face of the outer.

8. The method of treating a shoe having an upper wing portion which comprises subjecting said wing portion to simultaneous pressure about its margin and with a wiping component toward said margin exerted on the outer face of the outer.

9. The method of treating a shoe outer and lining top stitched together and presenting a wing portion for the upper, which comprises pressing the top stitched portion in directions to incline the top stitching downwardly and inwardly.

10. The step in the treatment of a shoe of the blucher type, which comprises turning inwardly and pressing the upper margin of the blucher eyelet stayed portion substantially from end to end.

11. The step in the treatment of an Oxford shoe having an upward side extension back of the throat, which comprises compressing and turning inwardly the forward margin of said extension.

12. The step in the treatment of an Oxford shoe having a lacing slit opening extending upwardly and rearwardly from the throat of the shoe, which comprises compressing and turning inwardly the margins of the shoe upper along the sides of said slit.

MILTON L. DODGE. 

